Jerry Kill joins Virginia Tech football staff as special assistant to Justin Fuente

Kill is a former Big Ten Coach of the Year

Head coach Jerry Kill of the Minnesota Golden Gophers is seen during the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on October 10, 2015 in West Lafayette, Indiana. Minnesota defeated Purdue 41-13. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

BLACKSBURG, Va. – In a newly created role, Virginia Tech football is adding a three-time national coach of the year to its staff.

Jerry Kill is now with the Hokies to assist head coach Justin Fuente with a myriad of duties.

"While it was a difficult decision to leave so many wonderful friends and colleagues at Southern Illinois, I am thrilled for the opportunity to join Coach Fuente and his staff at Virginia Tech," Kill said. "I've long appreciated and admired Justin as a coach and teacher of the game. I respect his penchant for identifying talent and helping young men reach their potential. He has assembled a fabulous coaching staff and roster of talented players at Virginia Tech. I can't wait to help the Hokies in any way I can."

Kill served as head coach at Southern Illinois from 2001-07, leading the program to five straight NCAA playoff appearances, earning the prestigious Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award in 2004 and the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award in 2007.

He then served as head coach at Northern Illinois from 2008-10, earning the Grant Teaff FCA Coach of the Year Award in 2010 after guiding the Huskies to a 10-3 record.

After his success in Illinois, Minnesota hired Kill to be the team's head coach in 2011.

He led the Golden Gophers to three bowl games, including a berth in the Citrus Bowl following the 2014 season, marking Minnesota's first New Year's Day bowl game since 1962.

For his efforts, Kill was voted a consensus selection as the Big Ten's Coach of the Year.

Kill briefly stepped away from coaching in 2016, serving as associate athletics director for administration at Kansas State, before returning to the sidelines as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Rutgers in 2017 and then returning to Southern Illinois as director of athletics in 2018.

Kill has dealt with epilepsy for much of his adult life, serving as an advocate for others with the condition and earning widespread respect and national attention.

"Jerry Kill will serve as a tremendous resource for our football program," Fuente said in a news release. "Coach Kill possesses over three decades of expertise and will be great addition to our staff. In addition to over 20 years of experience as collegiate and high school head coach, he's served as a coordinator on both sides of the ball. He can dissect the game from virtually every angle and will be able to provide his unique perspective on everything from recruiting, to personnel and facilities."